Italy v France, 03/02/13

[TRF_Olyy]

Stadio Olimpico
15:00, 03/02/13

​

 

[Big Ewis]

from a France perspective: this won't give us a whole lot of an assessment for what's to come...but I think it will be very exciting !
I'm looking for a good victory of course, but would like to see Italy (generally for all their matches) show some of that strong defense/forward work/scrummaging they've got in store, à la Australia November test.

I'd imagine France by about 13...

 

[martinspoonboy1]

France by 9

 

[smb64]

France by 9

Yup, I pretty much agree. Italy are always harder to play at home. They beat Scotland and should of beaten England last year at the stadio olimpico.

It will be a close affair, but France to weather the storm and come out victors IMO.

 

[Big Ewis]

Italy's strength is of course the forward play, and coincidentally France has serious strength there too...plus the rest. And it's that "rest" that will be the difference maker.
Good good test of form for France.

 

[London_Italian]

Sadly i think France will win...in the forwards the 2 sides will cancel each other out, which means France's superior back line will be all important. Just imagine though if we did actually pull of an upset and managed to beat France at home again. The next 2 games after are Scotland away and Wales at home...both of which are winnable at the moment . Could look at 3 wins. I certainly am hoping for 2 this year!

 

[irelandfan123]

France by a lot or ITALY BY 2, France will either play like Italy are not threatening and get ****** around by the Italians or clinical dismember them

 

[psychic duck]

I'm still not convinced by PSA's selections to be honest. I know France were very good last November, but I am still confused by some of his selections.

Leaving Thomas Domingo out of the squad is baffling, he is easily the best French loosehead imo. Forestier did well in November, but in general for Castres he hasn't been too impressive, I remember Giorgi Jgenti completely destroying him last year, and John Afoa also did recently as well. As for Debaty, he is well known as more of an impact running prop, and doesn't start often for Clermont and is behind Domingo there.

Whilst in the backs, I don't agree with playing Fofana on the wing. He has been probably the best centre in Europe this season and has been on incredible form these past couple of months, putting in some great performances, so why play him out of position instead of where he has had so much success?

He did have a problem with his lack of passing last season, but this season that seems to have improved a lot. And I think he would offer more in the midfield for France.

Also in the back three, there is Yoann Huget and Benjamin Fall, both decent players, but both are wingers and one will have to play full back, where neither are that great at. I personally think selecting Buttin would have been a better selection here. I'm not really a fan of Huget tbh, I think France can do better.

On another note, I understand that Malzieu may not be selected as he has only just returned from injury, but I hope his international career isn't finished, I've always rated him quite highly and better than most of the wingers called up to the France squad such as Huget and Planté.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I don't really like Forestier either, but Domingo has hardly been setting the world alight as of late...

I wasn't a fan of Huget either (I don't think it would be hard finding a post from me saying I didn't want to see him wear blue again), but he has been the form french winger/fullback this season, in a Toulouse side that hasn't been doing all that well (has played half his games at 15, btw).

As I've said before, I think Fofana's future is more at 13. Right now, I think our best center pairing would be Fritz at 12 and Fofana at 13, but PSA has a thing for Mermoz it seems (he's a fine player too, tbf).

I don't think France will have a lot of trouble to take this one. France by 12.

 

[nohandsruck]

Maybe Italy will remain in the game until the last quarter, then the lack of high-level replacements will influence their performance.
I think France by 15, but Italy will fight with honor until the last.

 

[Tony Manx]

Seems like two threads here but France to win 30+!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

GODDAMNNNN THAT'S A LONG WEEK TO WAIT !!!!!!!!!
It's like I've waited an eternity already and it's just Tuesday !!!.....

 

[jaunard06]

I'm not really fond of Huget and Fall, but as Butin, then Fickou, then Clerc became injured...
Happy to see that the Black Destroyer will finally be there even though not in top form, he can make the difference all by himself whoever is in front.
Happy also for Bastareaud, let's hope he'll show PSA was right to select him. If he can reach top form as in 2010 this may be a good deal for France.

I'm still wondering why France XV always prepares later than the other teams; they're barely starting while other teams are already training for a week...
I don't feel like we are that superior to the others to lose 7 days, especially with so many injured and/or retired players...

 

[Big Ewis]

^ it's the "Dark" Destroyer, you fkng racist !!! ^_^
and yes it SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSUCKS that we have to start later than everybody else, I mean wtf...top14 dates and ****...srs, this is the SIX FREAKING NATION here..

Say, forum gods, when can we have a vBookie added here please ? We never got it for the FRA SAM November match for some reason...
I neeeeeeed to get some virtual cash back after losing everything in that ENG NZ November test...

 

[jaunard06]

^ it's the "Dark" Destroyer, you fkng racist !!! ^_^

My apologies...

 

[Tony Manx]

I'm still wondering why France XV always prepares later than the other teams; they're barely starting .

It is because the clubs, who pay the players, call the tune in French rugby and cannot give a toss about the International team. Why else do they play less games than the APL teams (inc Anglo Welsh games) yet start the their season earlier and end later enough to stuff up the Summer Tours! Their major concession to the 6N was to move last week fixtures forward two days, yet play their internationals, whilst the other participants had the week off!!

 

[Big Ewis]

^ that's messed up...
we'll never know how bad that's influenced the XV, because we're "the most inconsistent side in all of rugby"; and our guys might be way more tired than we the fans (or even they) think each time; I mean pro sports (esp. rugby) will take its toll big time on the body whether the guys admit it or not; and we'll never know how much they over-perform, or what.
How long's this out-of-sync affair been goin on btw ?

 

[jaunard06]

It's true that we got several months to prepare the WC and still were inconsistent: losing to Tonga then reach the final and being better than the Blacks to finally lose...
Cannot be more inconsistent ^_^

 

[Big Ewis]

erm yes jaunard, we've...been through this a...a...*twitch*.....a few times before...

ahem.

EDIT: more seriously though, I attribute the loss to fatigue as well btw. It sounds horribly like an excuse, but the guys just thought "yeh wtvr, Tonga, we'll take it easy and conserve energy for the 1/4F" since it was the last match of the pools...but anyways, neither here nor there.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

PSA confirmed in an interview with Le monde that Dusautoir will start against Italy. He's trying to play misterious delaying the team announcement to tomorrow, but there's no mystery, really. The only surprise that could take plae is at hooker, with Szarsweski having the advantage, but a starting role for Kayser is not to exclude. The other thing is that we know that one of Fall and Huget will play fullback and the other one winger, and we don't know which one. According to L'équipe, Huget will wear 15. Parra and Chouly hinted they'd be on the bench, as would be Trinh-Duc. I can hardly see Taofifenua, Ducalcon and Bastareaud starting. So the side would be:

1. Forestier
2. Szarsweski
3. Mas
4. Papé
5. Maestri
6. Dusautoir
7. Ouedraogo
8. Picamoles
9. Machenaud
10. Michalak
11. Fall
12. Mermoz
13. Fritz
14. Fofana
15. Huget

16. Kayser
17. Debaty
18. Ducalcon
19. Taofifenua
20. Chouly
21. Parra
22. Trinh-Duc
23. Bastareaud